Sectional door with roller shield apparatus

ABSTRACT

A sectional door ( 2 ) is disclosed that includes a safety system. The safety system includes a shield apparatus ( 12 ), an improved support track ( 6 ), reverse angle track shields ( 80 ), and hemmed roller track edges ( 38 ) to prevent injury or harm to body parts errantly placed within or around the support track ( 6 ) during the opening or closing of the sectional door ( 2 ). The sectional door ( 2 ) includes a plurality of door sections ( 8 ) hingedly joined in an edge-to-edge relationship to form the completed sectional door ( 2 ). The sectional door ( 2 ) further includes support rollers ( 10 ) attached to the door sections ( 8 ), and a pair of support tracks ( 6 ), in which the support rollers ( 10 ) are confined. Each support roller ( 10 ) further includes a circular or rectangular roller shield ( 12 ) that is mounted to the axle ( 26 ) of the support roller ( 10 ) outside of the support track ( 6 ) where it is proximate the support track ( 6 ) in such a manner as to limit or prevent any fingers from engaging within the support track ( 6 ) with the support roller ( 10 ). The dimensions of the protective shield ( 12 ) are larger than the support rollers ( 10 ) so as to provide transport guidance within the support track ( 6 ) where track sections meet. The reverse angle track shields ( 80 ) are constructed of a solid metal piece so as to prevent objects from passing between the support track ( 6 ) and a mounting surface, with the outside edge being folded into a single hem ( 138 ) or covered with a protective material ( 140 ). The adjacent edge of the support track ( 6 ) is formed into a folded hem ( 38 ), either outwardly or inwardly, to prevent fingers from being cut.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part application and claimspriority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/377,576 filed Aug. 19,1999, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,227,281, which is acontinuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No.09/152,235 filed Sep. 11, 1998, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,125,506.This application is also a continuation-in-part application and claimspriority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/352,275 filed Jul. 13,1999, now abandoned, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 09/152,235 filed Sep. 11, 1998, now issued as U.S.Pat. No. 6,125,506.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a sectional door having asupport track and support rollers and, more particularly, the presentinvention relates to a track safety system for use with sectional doors.More particularly still, the present invention relates to a sectionaldoor having a shield apparatus as a safety device for the rollersengaged in the support track.

Sectional doors are used in various applications such as garage doors,storage doors, and industrial doors. A sectional door typically consistsof a plurality of door sections that are hinged in an edge-to-edgerelationship to form the completed sectional door. The ends of each doorsection are supported upon support rollers, which are confined tosupport tracks mounted adjacent the opening of the facility, such as agarage. Each support track has a vertical section and a horizontalsection with a curved section, usually as part of the horizontal track,providing transition between the vertical and horizontal direction. Thevertical section of track supports the sectional door in its vertical orclosed position across the opening while the horizontal section supportsthe sectional door in its overhead or open position. The hinges betweenthe door sections allow the sectional door to traverse the curvedsection of track between the vertical and horizontal orientations.

The support track is fabricated from a strip of sheet metal that hasbeen formed with a generally J-shaped cross section so that the supportroller is constrained by the curved portion of the J-shape. The axle ofthe support roller extends outwardly and is anchored to the adjacentdoor section. The upper end of the J-shaped cross section is formed as aflange extending orthogonally from the leg of the J-shape to provide thesupport track with an overall cross sectional profile that is a modifiedC-shaped profile. The curve of the J-shape supports the roller while theflange prevents the roller from jumping the track. Dimensionally, thelength of the J-shape is about 5 or 6 centimeters while the width of thecurved portion of the J-shape is about 3 centimeters. The flange islarger than 3 centimeters.

A primary use of a sectional doors is in a residential setting, whichtypically includes children playing in and out of the garage. Childrenenjoy playing with things that move, but do not always appreciate theinherent dancers of the object with which they play. For example,residential sectional doors are provided with electrically drivenopeners to move the sectional doors between their open and closedpositions. On occasion, children insert one or more fingers into theinterior of the “J” shaped track during movement of the sectional door,which results in one of the support rollers either severely crushing oramputating the child's fingers. Further, the support roller has adiameter of less than 5 centimeters, which means that the angularopening between the periphery of the support roller and the supporttrack is sufficient to receive a child's finger. The size of a child'sfinger coupled with the dimensions of the support roller and supporttrack tends to pull the rest of the child's finger under the supportroller during the continued rolling movement of the support roller.

One solution to guarding against fingers being inserted in a supporttrack near the support rollers is to provide a barrier in front of thesupport roller. An example of such a support barrier is illustrated inPatent Cooperation Treaty Application No. PCT/DK97/00339, published Mar.12, 1998. This reference teaches of providing a finger blocking disc,which is made of plastic, at each roller. The disc extends beyond thefree edges of the support track and is designed to prevent fingers frombeing carelessly caught between the stationary support track and one ormore of the support rollers during the opening or closing of thesectional door. The disc has a hub that is mounted with a forced fit onthe shaft to which the support roller is mounted. The disc is locked inplace with a locking ring. The disc also has an enlarged bead about thecircumference to prevent the disc from cutting into or harming anyfingers that might stray within the support track.

Unfortunately, the PCT Application No. PCT/DK97/00339 suffers fromseveral drawbacks. One drawback is that the edge of the roller track isa cut, bare metal sheet that has a sharp edge. This sharp edge can stillcut the fingers of anyone placing their hand within the support trackeither with or without the support rollers pinching on the fingers.Secondly, the sharp edge of the support track can also cut the fingersof someone placing their hand within the support track by the protectivedisc, which can easily press the fingers along or into the sharp edge ofthe support track. Referring now to FIG. 12 (PRIOR ART) support track 30and roller assembly 20 are shown in the environment of a child's finger40. Portions of curved section 32 are broken away to schematicallyillustrate what happens when finger 40 is placed inside support track 30during movement of roller assembly 20. Movement of roller assembly 20 isshown schematically by movement arrow 42 that causes roller 22 to rotateas shown schematically by rotation arrow 44. This rolling action ofroller 22 grips the tip of finger 40 against the inside surface ofcurved section 32 thereby holding finger 40 from being retracted.Continued movement of roller assembly 20 causes roller 22 to ride overfinger 40 with the net effect that finger 40 is “pulled” under roller 22as shown schematically by pulling arrow 46. Clearly, finger 40 issubjected to substantial injury by being crushed between roller 22 andthe surface of J-shaped track section 32. Additionally, if finger 40 isonly pushed across the exposed edge of curved section 32 finger 40 willmost probably be cut by this action.

Another disadvantage with the prior art disc is that the retaining ringand the flange used to secure the protective disc on the support shaftcan work loose causing the protective disc to move away from the openingin the support track. Without the protective disc guarding the supporttrack in close proximity, fingers can get caught in the track as thedoor operates by being caught by the support rollers moving within thesupport track.

Another drawback with the disk disclosed in PCT Application No.PCT/DK97/003339 is that the disk must be sufficiently large in order forfingers not to come in contact with the support rollers during travel.This means that the disk can extend over the track portion and be brokenif it is made of an inferior material. Further, children can beimaginative enough to insert something long and thin that rides in thetrack and is not deflected out of the track during travel. Such an itemmay be a stick, a toy, or the like. Failure to deflect the object couldlead to a damaged track or roller, or to a stuck door that isinoperable.

Furthermore, the metal tracts in which the guide rollers traveltypically have openings in them that are used for security purposes.Namely, a latch fits into one of the openings to hold the door in place.The latch can be released by a handle with a lock on it. This provides ameans for locking and securing the door in a closed position.Unfortunately, a garage door opener is used in many cases to providethis security feature. Thus, the universal track with the latch openingsallows a child to insert his or her fingers through the track duringoperation, which has been shown previously to lead to injured or severedfingers.

Accordingly, what is needed is a complete safety system for a sectionaldoor that includes an improved protective device for shielding thesupport rollers and support track to prevent injury by cutting or beingpinched along the support track or between the support track and thesupport rollers. Furthermore, what is needed is a protective device thatis secured on the support shaft near the support track and support railsin such a manner as to prevent the protective disc from coming free andfailing to perform the protective function desired. Also, what is neededis a support roller guide that prevents items from slipping past theprotective disc and engaging with the support rollers while maintaininga fixed orientation with respect to the tract as it transitions from ahorizontal to a vertical orientation and vice versa. Further, what isneeded is a latch opening that is prevents penetration should nosecurity latch be required or used with the garage door.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, a sectional door is disclosed thatincludes a safety system that includes a shield apparatus and improvedsupport track to prevent injury or harm to body parts errantly placedwithin the support track during the opening or closing of the sectionaldoor. The sectional door includes a plurality of door sections that arehinged together in an edge-to-edge relationship to form the completedsectional door. The sectional door further include support rollersattached to the door sections, and a pair of support tracks, in whichthe support rollers are confined. The support tracks are attached to asurface via a reverse angle shield, which prevents anything from passingbetween the track and the wall. Each support track includes at least onelatch opening knock-out, which remains in place where no latch is neededfor locking purposes, but may be removed should a latch and lock beadded to the sectional door. The knock-outs prevent children frominserting fingers through the latch openings when no latch is added.Further, a latch cover is provided where a latch opening has been madeto prevent insertion of fingers into the opening when the latch is notengaged therein.

Each support roller further includes a protective roller shield, whichmay be rectangular, oval, or generally elongated in shape, which ismounted to the axle of the support roller outside of the support trackwhere it is proximate the support track in such a manner as to limit orprevent any fingers from engaging within the support track with thesupport rollers. The dimensions of the protective roller shield islarger than the support rollers to provide adequate shielding for thesupport roller. The protective shield also includes a pair of shieldwings that insert into the track and shield the support rollers so noitems can engage therewith. The shield wings are formed in such a way toguide the roller shield through track transitions from a first tracksection to a second track section. A bridge may also be provided thatjoins the opposing shield wings so as to shield one edge of the supporttrack that may not extend the same distance as the other edge of thesupport track.

Further, the outer edge of the protective roller shield is blunted orprotected in such a way as not to cause harm during operation.Additionally, the adjacent edge of both the support track and thereverse angle shield are also formed into a folded single hem, eitheroutwardly or inwardly, to prevent fingers from being cut as the fingersare brushed aside by the roller shield. The track also has no holes oropenings greater than 0.350″ in diameter, thus preventing small fingersfrom being inserted into the path of the roller wheels through the trackwhere the roller shield is ineffectual. Latch knockouts may still beprovided, but are covered by latch covers during use.

The protective roller shield is mounted to the axle in such a mannerthat it does not travel along the axle during operation. Additionally,the protective roller shield includes a center opening having a diameterapproximate that of the support axle. The inner diameter is formed by aplurality of radially formed resilient tines that are separated from oneanother in a manner that allows the roller shield to fit over an objecthaving a larger diameter than the inner diameter of the protectiveroller shield for placement within a retaining annular located on thesupport axle proximate the support rollers.

These and other features of the present invention will become morereadily apparent from the following description in which specificembodiments of the invention have been set forth in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing and appendant claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order that the manner in which the above-recited and other advantagesand objects of the invention are obtained, a more particular descriptionof the invention briefly depicted above will be rendered by reference toa specific embodiment thereof which is illustrated in the appendeddrawings. With the understanding that these drawings depict only atypical embodiment of the invention and are not therefore to beconsidered to he limiting of its scope, the invention will be describedand explained with additional specificity and detail through the use ofthe accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sectional door having support tracksand support rollers that incorporate the protective safety system inaccordance with principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a D-shaped roller shield in cutawayview;

FIG. 2B is a perspective view of a D-shaped roller shield as mounted onthe roller axle;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the roller shield of FIGS. 2A and 2B where thewings aid in transition from a first track section to a second tracksection;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional side view of the roller shield being placedupon the support axle proximate the support roller;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional side view of the protective roller shieldmated to the support axle in alternative embodiments;

FIG. 6A depicts one alternative embodiment of the hem fold used alongthe exterior edges of the support track of FIGS. 2A and 2B, andspecifically a covering placed over each edge to protect the sharp metaledge from cutting into a finger pressed against the edge;

FIG. 6B depicts another alternative embodiment of the hem fold usedalong the exterior edges of the support track of FIGS. 2A and 2B, andspecifically folding the edges in or out to protect the sharp metal edgefrom cutting into a finger pressed against the edge;

FIG. 6C depicts another alternative embodiment of the hem fold usedalong the exterior edges of the support track of FIGS. 2A and 2B, andspecifically folding the edges in or out to protect the sharp metal edgefrom cutting into a finger pressed against the edge;

FIG. 7A depicts a perspective view of a roller assembly with arectangular shaped protective roller shield, which is an alternativeembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7B depicts a side plan view of the roller assembly of FIG. 7A;

FIG. 8A depicts a perspective view of the roller assembly with aD-shaped roller shield in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 8B depicts a side plan view of the roller assembly of theprotective roller shield of FIG. 8A;

FIG. 9 depicts the roller assembly passings from one track section toanother track section in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a side elevation of the roller shield mounted to the axle ofa support roller operating in a support track illustrating a fingerbeing placed proximate the support track;

FIG. 11A is a perspective view of the wing side of the roller shield inaccordance with principles of the present invention;

FIG. 11B is a perspective view of the roller shield on the opposite sideof the wing side of FIG. 11B;

FIG. 12 (PRIOR ART) is a side elevation of a support roller operating ina support track in the absence of the protective roller shield withportions of the support track cut away for ease of presentation andshown in the environment of a person's finger;

FIG. 13A is a perspective view of the reverse angle shield including thehemmed fold in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 13B illustrates the reverse angle shield with a guard shield on thecut edge of the angle shield in an alternative embodiment to FIG. 13A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The figures listed above are expressly incorporated as part of thisdetailed description.

It will be readily understood that the components of the presentinvention, as generally described and illustrated in the Figures herein,could be arranged and designed in a wide variety of differentconfigurations. Thus, the following more detailed description of theembodiments of the system and apparatus of the present invention, asrepresented in FIGS. 1 through 11 and 13, is not intended to limit thescope of the invention, as claimed, but it is merely representative ofthe present specific embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a sectional door 2 inaccordance with the present invention. Sectional door 2 further includesa door unit 4, which comprises a plurality of sectional door units 8,and a pair of support tracks 6, which are mounted in a spaced apartmirror-fashion so that door 4 is supported by support tracks 6.Sectional door 2 further comprises a plurality of support rollers 10,which are evenly spaced along the outer edges of the door section 8.Support rollers 10 are utilized to travel within support tracks 6 so asto open and close door 4 as needed. Support rollers 10, as well as across-section of support track 6, are shown in greater detail in FIGS.2A-11B as described below.

This inventive system utilizes a torsion spring assembly 39, which isconnected by a lift 43 to sectional roll-up door 4. The roll-upsectional door rides on rollers 10, which engage and travel withintracks 6 at each side of the door 4. These tracks typically comprise avertical track 62, which is connected to a horizontal track 66, whichincludes an arcuate track 64. Vertical track 62 is substantiallyparallel to door 4 when door 4 is in its closed position. Vertical track62 is attached to wall structure 70 with a metal reverse angle trackshield 80 and bracket material using conventional fasteners such asscrews, bolts, and rivets. Reverse angle track shield 80 is typicallymade of a solid metal strip that allows no gaps between the mountingsurface or wall and support track 6. Reverse track angle shield 80prevents objects, such as arms, hands, lingers and the like from beingplaced between the sectional door 2 and supporting surface duringoperation of the door. There are no holes in either track 62 or reverseangle track shield 80 exceeding 0.350″.

Track 66 further includes a plurality of knockout latch openings 81,which may be removed when a latch is provided on door 2 as a securitymeasure. Each latch opening that is knocked out to accommodate a latch(not shown) is further covered by a latch opening shield 83, whichsecurely and non-movably clips onto track 66 on the side opposite fromwhich the latch would engage. Latch opening shield 83 covers a latchopening when the door 2 is in operation or when the latch is not engagedwithin latch opening 81.

Further, the track sections 62-66 have gaps where they connect togetheras well as discontinuities for the roller shield to travel. Theprotective wings or flanges of the roller shield can bind in the gaps.The wings are designed so as to have fingers or guides to keep theshield from binding or catching on the gaps between the track sections.This way the shield maintains a fixed orientation with respect to thetrack. This fixed orientation keeps the shield in the optimal positionfor preventing objects, such as fingers or other body parts, fromcatching with the track by the roller wheels.

Horizontal track 66 is typically attached at its end 68 to a buildingceiling structure 72 using metal angle and bracket material andconventional fasteners. Horizontal track 66 is typically also attachedto horizontal track angle 82, which connects with vertical reverse trackangle shield 80 near wall structure 70. Arcuate track 64, which is atthe front part of horizontal track 66 is directly attached to verticaltrack 62 and horizontal track 66 through a connecting bracket 69 usingconventional fasteners and may, optionally, be attached to the buildingstructure or a track angle. Further, tracks 62-66 may be constructed ofone unitary piece formed with the arcuate track section 64 to provideboth the horizontal, curved, and vertical sections. Likewise, inbuildings having exceptionally high ceilings, no horizontal section orarcuate section would be necessary.

Torsion spring assembly 39, as shown in FIG. 1, comprises a torsionshaft 41 that spans between novel lock-on side bearing brackets 84,which contain bearings 86 that support torsion shaft 41 and allowtorsion shaft 41 to rotate freely. While torsion shaft 41 extends theentire width of the doorway, torsion shaft 41 may have one or moresections that are connected in a manner that will allow torque to betransmitted between each section. Torsion shaft 41 may also be supportedby intermediate bearing brackets (not shown), which contain bearings andallow torsion shaft 41 to rotate freely within the bracket bearing.Torsion assembly 39 is generally located adjacent to the wall andimmediately above the doorway as shown in FIG. 1, or to the rear of thehorizontal track 66. Lock-on side bearing brackets 84 may attach tohorizontal track angles 82 with conventional fasteners. Lock-on sidebearing brackets 84 may also be attached to the wall structure 70 withconventional fasteners such as lag screws.

FIG. 2A illustrates a perspective view of a support roller 10, whichincludes a ghosted image of the protective shielding device inaccordance with the present invention. FIG. 2B is similar to FIG. 2A,but is an full perspective view of the same support roller 10 with theshielding device in full view. FIGS. 2A and 2B will be describedsimultaneously and throughout the following description reference to thedrawings is such that like parts are designated by like numeralsthroughout and taken in conjunction with the appended claims.

Each support roller 10 includes a protective roller shield 12 having acenter hole 14, a pair of opposing support roller shield wings 15, anouter perimeter or rim 16, and a pair of track misalignment guides 17and 19. Roller shield 12 further includes a circumferential bevel aroundthe periphery of center hole 14. The bevel is designed to enable centerhole 14 to be fixedly retained within circumferential groove 28 (FIG.4). In this view, shield 12 has a “D” shape to enhance the protectiveabilities along the perimeter. Other shapes include rectangular, asshown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, generally rectangular with protective notches,shown in FIG. 10, trapezoidal (not shown), or oval (not shown). Thenotches may be either circular, U-shaped, or V-shaped. Other shapes ofthe shield, as well as notch configurations, will be readily apparent tothose skilled in the art.

Protective roller shield 12 operates in conjunction with support rollerassembly 20 that is mounted to sectional door 8 of FIG. 1 and engaged insupport track 6. Support roller assembly 20 is a conventional supportroller assembly and includes a support roller 22 rotatably mounted to aneck 24, which is formed as a diametrically enlarged section on the endof an axle 26. Circumferential groove 28 is formed in neck 24 to engageprotective roller shield 12 therein in a snap-fit relationship.Specifically, the dimensions of center hole 14 are set to match thedimensions of circumferential groove 28 so that protective roller shield12 can be forced over neck 24 until center hole 14 is received incircumferential groove 28. A plurality of radial tines 18 extendinwardly towards center hole 14 and provide sufficient resiliency inroller shield 12 to accommodate center hole 14 being forced over neck24. Bevel 19 also snugly nests center hole 14 in circumferential groove28.

Support track 6 is a vertical section of support track for the sectionaldoor 2 and works in tandem with protective shield roller shield 12 toprevent cuts and injuries to anyone who accidently gets their fingersinside track 6 while the door 2 is being opened or closed. Support track6 is fabricated from a strip of sheet metal that has been formed intothe particular J-shape or modified C-shaped profile shown in FIGS. 6 and9 and includes a curved section 32, a leg section 34, and an L-shapedoverhang or flange section 36, which creates the generally C-shapedcross sectional profile to the overall appearance of support track 6.The exposed edge of curved section 32 is folded into an outwardly formedsingle hem 38, which is preferred so as to minimize damage to therollers traversing within track 6. Alternative hems or protective edgesfor the exposed edge are illustrated in FIGS. 6A-6C. The presence ofsingle hem 38 provides a smooth edge to curved section 32, therebyeliminating ally danger of a finger being cut upon this edge.

Support roller 22 is designed to travel along the length of curvedsection 32 of support track 6 and is retained in support track 6 by thepresence of flange section 36 as illustrated in FIG. 3. Support track 6is configured to be rigid in order to both support the sectional doorand to withstand the forces imposed thereon when the sectional doorsmove between its open and closed positions. Accordingly, each sectionaldoor is supported on support track 6 by a plurality of roller supports10.

Protective roller shield 12, once mounted to roller assembly 20, becomesa permanent part of roller assembly 20. The diameter of roller shield 12is also sufficiently larger than support roller 22 to cause rollershield 12 to extend beyond the external periphery of both overhangsection 36 and curve section 32. This encloses the side opening ofsupport track 6 thereby shielding support roller 22 inside support track6. The allowable spacing between track 6 and roller shield 12 rangesbetween ⅛″-¼″, with ⅛″ being preferred. Any closer and roller shield 12tends to bind with track 6 during operation. Any greater and the fingersof an individual can slip into the track and possibly be harmed duringoperation.

Additionally, shield wings 15 extend into the track 6 and shield supportroller 22 from items that may get past edge 16. Shield wings are made ofthe same material as roller shield 12. The extension of shield wings 15into the channel formed by track 6 also prevents children from touchingthe support rollers at any time. Track misalignment guides 17 and 19serve to prevent objects from entering the track at the space formed byhem 38 not extending as far toward roller shield 12 as section 36.Guides 17 and 19 also allows for and corrects track mismatch at joint33. The width of wings 15 is approximately the distance between the edgeformed by hem 38 and section 36. Guides 17 and 19 are designed to fitadjacent roller 22 in a protective fashion as illustrated in FIG. 3.Guides 17 and 19 form a C-shaped enclosure that opens inwardly to allowthe wing shaped fingers of guides 17 and 19 to travel along the edges oftrack 30. During transition, the wing shapes of guides 17 and 19 preventroller shield 12 from catching at the transition point 33. This leads tosmoother operation with less binding during opening or closing of thesectional door. Further guides 17 and 19 serve to maintain theorientation of shield 12 relative to the track orientation duringtravel.

FIG. 4 illustrates a cut away side view of protective roller shield 12being inserted upon axle 26. As roller shield 12 slides over axle 26,the center hole 14 engages axle 26 and expands because of tines 18 asroller shield 12 extends over the thickened portions that form bevel 28.The diameter of bevel 28 is approximately the same as that of centerhole 14. Shoulder 24 prevents roller shield 12 from sliding closer toroller 22. Shield wings 15 extend a distance sufficient to cover roller22 as shown in FIG. 5. Guide 17 may connect the wings 15 on edges on thesame side and serves to prevent objects from slipping past hem 38.Alternatively, as shown in the cross sectional side plan view of FIG. 5,roller shield 12 can be mated to axle 26 via an annular supporting ring29, which includes a retaining screw 31. Retaining screw 31 is utilizedto fit annular retaining ring 29 in a fixed position along shaft axle26. A pair of such annular retaining rings are provided to secure rollershield 12 in place. Alternatively, a retaining annular ring 33 may beutilized that lacks the securing screw 31 used in annular ring 29.Annular ring 33 is retained in place via a solder bead 35 that connectsannular ring 33 to axle 26. Using either annular ring 29 or 33eliminates the need for tines 18 of FIGS. 2A and 2B.

FIGS. 6A, 6B, and 6C illustrate alternative embodiments of hem 38 orprotective element 40 placed on the outer edge of support track 6. InFIG. 6A, which illustrates across sectional side view of support track6, a covering 40 can be placed over each edge to protect the sharp metaledge from cutting into a finger pressed against the edge. Likewise, inFIGS. 6B and 6C, hem 38 can be either inward or outward and can beplaced on both edges or on just one edge.

FIG. 7A illustrates a perspective view of a generally rectangularprotective shield 112 that is similar to D-shaped roller shield 12. FIG.7B illustrates a plan view of the shield and roller assembly of FIG. 7A.Shield 112 includes a pair of opposably mounted shield wings 115. Wings115 are generally curved to conform to the curve of roller 22. A trackmisalignment guide 117 is provided to connect wings 115. Guide 117provides rigidity as well as prevents objects from slipping past hem 38of track 6. Further guide 117 serves to correct for track mismatch atthe joints, as previously described. A second guide 119 is providedopposite guide 17 and serves the same purpose, but along the interiorspace between the roller 122 and shield 112. A third guide 121 isprovided on the same side as guide 19, but in the same plane as roller122. The roller shield 112 includes a support aperture 114 for mountingon the shaft of the roller 22. The corners of disk 112 are rounded aswell to provide for extra safety protection. Furthermore, the perimeteredge 116 is rounded to avoid any unnecessary sharp edges.

FIG. 8A illustrates a perspective view of D-shaped shield 12 with FIG.8B illustrating a front plan view of the shield of FIG. 8A. Thedimensions of shield 12 are such that the width extends over both hem 38and edge section 36 of track 6.

FIG. 9 depicts the roller assembly passing from one track section toanother track section in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 10 illustrates an alternative shape for roller shield 212. Shield212 is constructed so that concave edges are formed to prevent anyobject from being caught between the rollers and the track. The concaveedges 222 lead to rounded points 220 that fall outside the path of thetrack, shown in ghosted form. A protective edge 216, like that of edge16 of shield 12 is also provided. Tines 218 are provided to allow shield212 to snap into place along circumference 214. Although concave edge222 is illustrated to be semicircular, it may also be V or U-shaped aslong as it is aligned with the track so as not to pinch or cause anobject to bind between shield 212 and the track.

FIG. 11A illustrates a perspective view of the wings 15 of shield 12while FIG. 11B illustrates a perspective view of the protective face ofshield 12 in accordance with the present invention. Further shown arehooks 23 that are placed on opposite ends of shield 12 and are used foralignment purposes of shield 12 during installation.

FIG. 13A illustrates a perspective view of reverse angle shield 80 witha first edge that has a protective material 140 placed along the fulllength of the edge. In accordance with the present invention, the edgesof the reverse angle shield 80 are sharp after formation as they aremade of metal. To protect against injury or damage by touching the sharpedge, a protective member 140 is placed along the full length of thesharp edge to prevent injury or damage. The edge may be folded with fold138, as shown in FIG. 13B, with the sharp edge pressed into the adjacentmetal to provide additional protection from injury or damage. The foldcan be an inside or an outside fold. Both edges of shield 80 may befolded as desired. The fold 138 provides additional advantages over thesafety benefits. One advantage is that the fold provides greaterrigidity, which strengths the overall door system. Another advantage isthat protective material, such as a soft plastic, rubber, or othersimilar material protects against not only cutting, but also from dingsor bruises from property or people accidently bumping into the shieldedge.

The present invention may be embodies in other specific forms withoutdepartment from its spirit or essential characteristics. The describedembodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrativeand not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicatedby the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. Allchanges which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of theclaims are to be embraced within their scope.

What is claimed is:
 1. A sectional door comprising: a plurality of doorsections movably coupled together, each door section having a first andsecond end; first and second support tracks positioned oppositely oneanother and along the respective first and second ends of the pluralityof door sections, each support track having a first edge, a second edge,a channel adjacent the first edge and wherein the first edge is hemmedalong its length; a plurality of support rollers, each support rollercoupled to a first or second edge of the plurality of the door sectionsand engaged with one of the first and second support tracks, eachsupport roller further comprising: a support axle; a roller mounted to afirst end of the support axle; and a protective roller shield having anarea larger than the roller and axially mounted to the support axleproximate the roller and the first edge of one of the first or secondsupport tracks and further having an enlarged edge along thecircumference of the protective roller shield; and first and secondshield wings extending from a roller side of the protective rollershield into the channel and past the roller, the shield wings comprisinga structure and defining an area that effectively encloses the rollerbetween the first and second shield wings and within the support track,thus shielding the entire structure of the support roller from foreignobjects.
 2. The sectional door according to claim 1, wherein theprotective roller shield further includes a plurality of resilientradial tines defining an opening to receive the support axle.
 3. Thesectional door according to claim 1, wherein the second edge of eachsupport track is hemmed along its length.
 4. The sectional dooraccording to claim 1, further comprising a reverse angle track shieldused to attach each support track to a support surface.
 5. The sectionaldoor according to claim 4, wherein each reverse angle shield includes atleast one edge that is hemmed along its length.
 6. The sectional dooraccording to claim 2, wherein the support axle includes a retaininggroove for holding the protective roller shield.
 7. A torsion-springsupported sectional door comprising: a track system for supporting saiddoor having a right track and a right track support structure on a rightside of a doorway and a left track and a left track support structure ona left side of said doorway, the right and left tracks both beingfabricated from metal to form a channel and having a hemmed edgesubstantially along its full operating length; a sectional door having aright side and a left side and rollers along said right side and saidleft side engaged in said channels for supporting said door within andguiding said door along said track system and a protective shieldassociated with each roller, the shield having a pair of opposing shieldwings spaced apart wider than the diameter of the roller to shield theroller within the track, the shield also being mounted to a support axleproximate the roller and the hemmed edge of one of the right or lefttrack and further having an enlarged edge along the circumference of theprotective roller shield; a torsion shaft for transmitting torque; atorsion spring having a stationary end and a rotatable end, therotatable end being fixed to the torsion shaft; a cable drum connectedto the torsion shaft such that rotation of the cable drum causesrotation of the torsion shaft and thereby rotation of the torsionspring; and a lift cable wound around the cable drum having a top endconnected to the cable drum and a bottom end having an attachment to thedoor.
 8. The sectional door according to claim 7, wherein the protectiveshield further includes a plurality of resilient radial tines definingan opening to receive the support axle.
 9. The sectional door accordingto claim 7, wherein the second edge of each support track is hemmedalong its length.
 10. The sectional door according to claim 7, whereineach shield further comprises a bridge connecting the pair of shieldwings.
 11. The sectional door according to claim 7, further comprising apair of reverse angle track shields, for securing the right and lefttrack support structures to a mounting surface and wherein each of thereverse angle track shields is comprised of a solid metal piece toprevent objects from being inserted between the mounting surface and theright and left track support structures.
 12. The sectional dooraccording to claim 7, wherein each reverse angle shield includes atleast one edge that is hemmed along its length.
 13. The sectional dooraccording to claim 7, wherein the shield wings are generally curved inshape.
 14. A sectional door comprising: a plurality of door sectionsmovably coupled together, each door section having a first and secondend; first and second support tracks positioned oppositely one anotherand along the respective first and second ends of the plurality of doorsections, each support track having a first edge, a second edge, achannel adjacent the first edge and wherein the first edge is hemmedalong its length; first and second reverse angle track shields,connected to the first and second support tracks, respectively, toconnect the support tracks to a mounting surface and to prevent anobject from passing between the support tracks and the mounting surface;a plurality of support rollers, each support roller coupled to a firstor second edge of the plurality of the door sections and engaged withone of the first and second support tracks, each support roller furthercomprising: a support axle; a roller mounted to a first end of thesupport axle; and a protective roller shield having an area larger thanthe roller and axially mounted to the support axle proximate the rollerand the first edge of one of the first or second support tracks andfurther having an enlarged edge along the circumference of theprotective roller shield, the roller shield further including a pair ofshield wings mounted on a first side of the roller shield in anarrangement for shielding the support roller within the support track,the shield wings further including transport guides to prevent theprotective roller shield from binding in the support track.
 15. Thesectional door according to claim 14, wherein the protective rollershield further includes a plurality of resilient radial tines definingan opening to receive the support axle.
 16. The sectional door accordingto claim 14, wherein the second edge of each support track is hemmedalong its length.
 17. The sectional door according to claim 16, whereinthe hem along the first edge is formed outward of the channel.
 18. Thesectional door according to claim 14, wherein the roller shield isspaced between ⅛″-¼″ from the support track.
 19. The sectional dooraccording to claim 14, wherein each roller shield is locatedapproximately ⅛″ from the support track.
 20. The sectional dooraccording to claim 14, wherein each reverse angle track shield includesat least one edge that is hemmed along its length.
 21. The sectionaldoor according to claim 14, wherein each support track is comprised ofat least two track sections that meet at a transition point along thechannel.
 22. A sectional door roller wheel apparatus for use on asectional door that is retained by a pair of support tracks, theapparatus comprising: a plurality of support rollers, each supportroller being designed to couple to a first or second edge of thesectional door and to engage with one of the pair of support tracks,each support roller further comprising: a support axle; a roller mountedto a first end of the support axle; and a protective roller shieldhaving an area larger than the roller and axially mounted to the supportaxle proximate the roller and further having an enlarged edge along thecircumference of the protective roller shield and a pair of shield wingsmounted on a first side of the roller shield in an arrangement forshielding the roller when placed within a support track, the shieldwings further including transport guides.
 23. The apparatus according toclaim 22, wherein the protective roller shield further includes aplurality of resilient radial tines defining an opening to receive thesupport axle.
 24. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein thetransport guides are generally mate on the side of the support roller.25. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the shield wingsmaintain directional orientation of the protective roller shield along apath of travel along the support track.
 26. The apparatus according toclaim 22, wherein the roller shield mounted on the axle adjacent thesupport roller to allow a space between ⅛″-¼″ from the support trackwhen located therein.
 27. The apparatus according to claim 22, whereineach roller shield is located approximately ⅛″ from the support track.28. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein each roller shield isgenerally rectangular in shape.